A/N: Wow, everybody! Thanks so much for all the reviews :) And thanks to anyone out there who may be reading but not reviewing, too. I love writing Jack and Kate, and it's even more fun when I know people are enjoying it. :)

Here's a little more Sawyer for now, but more Jack-Kate will be coming very soon!!!

Sawyer took an impatient drag on his cigarette. Where the hell is she?, he wondered for about the twentieth time. From his vantage point he could see the entire beach camp, which always came in handy when it got too dark to read and he had to resort to passing the time with his favorite spectator sport: people-watching. But tonight the most interesting player was missing. He hadn't seen Kate since he'd left her at the flower garden earlier that afternoon.

As much as Sawyer hated to admit it, he knew what had probably happened: Dr. Feelgood finally made his move. They're probably sharin' a moonlit picnic by her damn flower garden at this very moment, he thought bitterly.

Well, all the better in the long run anyway. As soon as Freckles got this infatuation with the Doc out of her system, it would be smooth sailing. Jack wasn't really her type, Sawyer knew. Kate needed a bad-boy; he'd been sure of that since the day she pulled the gun on him in the jungle. And even more sure since she'd kissed him, the little minx. Jack was a little too wholesome, a little too boring for a woman like her. And Sawyer would be waiting there for her as soon as she figured that out.

Not that it would be easy to stomach the thought of her with the Hero, even for a little while. Sawyer certainly didn't want to know any of the details. But who was he trying to kid? When Freckles inevitably came back to the beach to pick up her bags he'd try to get as much information out of her as possible… while trying to appear utterly disinterested, of course.

After all, a man's gotta know what he's up against, he reminded himself. Plus, it might be good for a laugh if he found out Jackass was writing her some damn poetry or something.

Chuckling to himself, Sawyer leaned back in the airline seat and closed his eyes. Plenty of time to plan my next move in the morning, he assured himself, before drifting to sleep.

But Kate didn't return to the beach the next morning. And when Sawyer saw Sticks gathering up Kate's belongings, he knew something was wrong. Sticks never even carried her own bags, let alone someone else's. Resolving to get to the bottom of whatever it was, Sawyer sauntered over to Shannon.

"When you're done here, Sticks, can I get a little maid service over in my tent?", he asked, raising his eyebrows suggestively.

"Go to hell, Sawyer," Shannon said icily.

"My, looks like someone woke up on the wrong side of the caves today," he responded, a lazy grin on his face.

"Look, I don't have time for your crap right now," Shannon said in exasperation. "Kate needs her stuff."

Sawyer paused. "And just why is it that she can't get it herself?"

Shannon looked up in surprise. "You didn't hear yet?"

Sawyer looked at her expectantly.

"She's pretty sick, I guess," Shannon finished.

"Well, what's wrong with her?", Sawyer questioned, trying to keep the concern out of his voice.

"Look, I don't know. Jack just asked me to get her stuff." Shannon lifted Kate's backpack to her shoulder and walked off in the direction of the caves.

Hmm. Might be time for a trip to Cave Town, Sawyer thought, walking back to his tent. He chugged the last of the water in his bottle, threw it in his bag, and headed toward the caves...